Miyagi

Miyagi (宮城県; -ken) is a prefecture in the Tohoku Region of Japan. Its capital is Sendai.

Sendai (仙台)

Getting There
There are of course trains into Sendai, but for the budget-conscious, there are other options. There are buses (which cost about 5000yen from Yokote) and one could also drive. The tolls can be expensive, and country roads can be a good option. If you take 107 east you will run into 4 which runs pretty much parallel to the Highway (at winter and at night these roads can be dangerous or confusing respectively, take care.) A good option to parking in the city is parking in the suburb of Izumi(泉). There is an I.C. there and a parking complex at the Yuatec stadium, although, you could just park at the CoCo's for a significant discount(read: free.) After that you can hop on the subway at Izumi Chuo Station and ride into Sendai for 290 yen.

Shopping
There is a covered shopping area right near the station. They have a good amount of American brands (Eddie Bauer, Gap, etc.) and during sales all they will have left is the big gaijin sizes.

Food
As everyone will tell you, Sendai is famous for cow tounge(gyu-tan.) There is an area on the second floor of the station where all the gyu-tan restaurants are.

Festivals

• Tanabata
• Illumination Pageant
• Yosokoi Festival - good if you can't make the Sapporo version.

JLPT
If you head right out the main door of the station hang a left. The JLPT building is just southwest of the station

Recommended Spots

• Zao Fox Village (蔵王キツネ村; zaou kitsune mura) info map
  

  Located in the mountains near Shiroishi, there is a ‘village’ that is filled with over 100 animals and 6 different types of foxes. This ‘Fox Village’ is one of the best places in Japan to go and see foxes. The foxes freely roam a preserve which visitors can enter. You are allowed the feed the foxes in a special raised area and they occasionally throughout the day hold special events where you can hold baby and adult foxes.

• Cat Island (田代島; Tashirojima)
  

  Tashirojima, an island off the south coast of Oshika Peninsula in Ishinomaki City, is also known by many visitors as Cat Island. It has a large population of cats that draw numerous cat-loving visitors every year.

High schools

• Sendai Ikuei Gakuen

Onsen

• Sanbongi no Yu （三本木の湯）

  An elaborate onsen complex.
  〒989-6322大崎市三本木南谷地字千刈田１４６
  Tel: 0229-53-2600
  Homepage

• Akiu Onsen Resort Iwanumaya 秋保温泉旅館 岩沼屋

  TEL 022-398-2011 FAX 022-398-2825
  宮城県仙台市太白区秋保町湯元字薬師107
  Since 1625. Expensive, but awesome. The onsens are great, multiple inside baths and at least one out door bath, all of which are covered by your hotel cost. Mens and womens switch bath areas at midnight and 10am. Family style baths are also available. There are also 2 bars in the restaurant open to guests. One is a karaoke bar with an open karaoke area as well as 3 karaoke boxes. For a single person in a business style room, things might start at about 14,000yen per night.

Shopping

• Tomiya Costco Opened Friday, April 29th, 2016 in Tomiya. The 2nd closest Costco location for Akita. Membership is 4000 yen annually (excluding tax). If you have a Costco membership card from your home country, it is valid at any worldwide location. Members are allowed to bring up to 2 guest, under 18 for free, however the card holder must pay for purchases. Costco accepts cash, Costco Orico MasterCard and American Express. You can also purchase discounted gas and kerosene with a membership, methods of payment include prepaid cards (sold at Costco), Costco Orico MasterCard and American Express only. Prepaid cards can be refilled inside Costco near the food court. There is no way to refill your card outside at Costco's gas station.

• Sendai IKEA Opened Thursday, July 17, 2014 in Sendai. It replaced a Mini IKEA located in Izumi-ku that opened in 2011. They do not require a membership but offer a IKEA Family plan which is free to sign-up and offers you discounts on products and foods.

Sendai~Guam travel deal for JETs

Continental Airlines has teamed up with H.I.S. to create a special air ticket & hotel package for JET Programme participants and private ALTs. Japanese people can also participate in this package, however, at least one JET or ALT must be in the group. The flight departs from Sendai Airport, and this is very accessible from Sendai JR Station in Miyagi.

Below is some information on access to Sendai's airport as well as the flyers for the Guam/Sendai package. H.I.S. and Continental has also put together a package for Sendai/Guam/Cairns as well.

• How to get to Sendai Airport
• 2010-2011 4-5 day travel deals
• 2010-2011 8 day travel deals (Guam and Cairnes)

See also

• Miyagi JET website
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Miyagi